More

Netflix & Mark Millar’s Comic The Magic Order Gets A Trailer

Netflix has just released the official trailer for The Magic Order, a six-issue comic book series written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Olivier Coipel. The new comic series releases on June 13 in comic shops, which is a surprising move considering how focused Netflix has been on streaming media.

The series is about "five families of magicians sworn to protect our world for generations who must battle an enemy who’s picking them off one by one," and it will be the first content created as part of Mark Millar's Millarworld after Netflix acquired the company last August. Millar, a staple of comic books for decades now, has created some of the most notable comics in the industry today, including working for Marvel on Civil War and The Ultimates. His solo-written comics have included Wanted, Kingsman, and Kick-Ass. While many believed that Netflix’s purchase would only translate to film and television properties, the company appears to be branching out to physical media as well.

The trailer (above) highlights The Magic Order's more... magical elements, including a magician catching a bullet with his teeth and another escaping handcuffs. While giving away little in terms of plot, the trailer does present an noir-style atmosphere that positions magicians as protectors of mortals, but now have to fight off a force that is going after them, echoing a mobster story that Millar teased earlier.

Netflix’s acquisition of Millarworld is the latest major comic-book company that has been purchased by a movie studio. The major two comic book company acquisitions have been the sale of Marvel Comics to Disney in 2009 and DC Comics to Warner Bros. in 1968. The move shows how willing Netflix is to expand into all different types of content, positioning themselves as possible contenders to Disney and Warner Bros. with regards to comic book content. While most studios are focusing on a small number of key properties, Netflix appears to be spinning out in every direction possible to give viewers content.

Millarworld has a plethora of works for Netflix to adapt, but with their first release being an original comic, it appears that Netflix and Millar are looking to build properties from the ground up, at least for now. With the introduction of this comic, it wouldn’t be surprising for Netflix to capitalize on cross-platform appeal and also possibly release a Magic Order movie or TV series at some point down the line.